Soul Strings
by JaydenMatthews
Summary: What can happen when an unexpected visitor falls in on Regina and Emma mid fight? Who is this mystery girl? Where did she come from? Why does she look so familiar to both the savior and the mayor? Only time will tell...(PREVIOUSLY TITLED THE ONLY CHANCE YOU'LL EVER GET)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One:The Eye Opener

Sheriff Station

The never ending rain fell from the grey skies of Storybrooke Maine and landed heavily against the windows of the Sheriff Station. It seemed as though the rain had not eased in the slightest in the past two weeks, though in reality, it did minimize to a mere drizzle from one time to the next.

Ruby sat at the Deputy's desk, thumbing through a very outdated copy of Beauty and the Beast. She was not actually reading the words that were printed on the pages; she was practicing holding the book so that it felt natural to her. Belle French, the new librarian of Storybrooke, has been coming into Granny's Diner every single day for lunch over the past few weeks and she always seems to have a book permanently attached to her hand. Belle had caught Ruby's attention and now Ruby was going out of her way to catch the attention of the book loving, accent carrying, eye piercing beauty.

The front doors of the station slammed against the brick walls of the station from being pushed open with such enraged force.

"I swear that fucking woman knows every single one of my goddamn buttons and it is her mother fucking goal in life to push every fucking one of them in one goddamn conversation!" Emma yelled as she furiously pushed her way into the station.

"I see a very lucky Sheriff had a very pleasant meeting with our very lovely Madam Mayor." Ruby said with a smirk playing on her lips as she joked with her friend and co-worker.

"I swear to God, Ruby, if you don't wipe that smirk off of your face I am going to knock it the fuck off." the Sheriff growled in a low tone. "This shit is not fucking funny. Seven years! Seven goddamn years of this shit! She is the only goddamn person that can make me this fucking mad!"

"First of all, take a breath and try to calm the fuck down. You just threatened to hit me. Second of all, she has always had the affect on you. Ever since you first got here she has been able to get under your skin; especially when it comes to Henry. Why do you let her do this to you, Emma? It's not healthy for a person to get as mad as she seems to make you."

"Let her? I DO NOT fucking let her. Why in the fuck would I let her? It's not like she has some sort of power over me. It's not like the mere beauty of that woman is as close to Heaven as I will ever see. It's not like her voice is sweeter than the songs of the angelic choir. It's not like her eyes are the deepest ponds that i would more than willingly drown in." A single tear fell down Emma's cheek while Ruby sat there with a wide eyed realization that she had somehow missed over the past years. "it's not like I have to physically stop myself from touching her every single time I am near her. It's not like I have been dreaming about holding her and touching her and kissing her and being with her every single night for the past seven fucking years. It's not like I actually lov..." Emma trailed off.

There was now a steady steam of angry yet sad tears flowing down both of the pale cheeks of Emma Swan. Her blood shot eyes were locked on the tiled floor. Her mouth still hung slightly open from the word she nearly uttered and deepest secret nearly spoken aloud for the first time ever. Her fists were clenched shut so tightly that Ruby worried she would pierce the skin of her palm with her fingernails while her arms hung limply at her sides. Ruby really looked at Emma, her best friend and her heart broke for her. The two friends had spoken in depth many times and shared many secrets but she had never imagined that Emma felt this deeply for Regina Mills. She had never seen Emma so deflated; so defeated.

"Emma..." Ruby began.

"It's not like I am ever going to have her, Rubes. I want her. God, I want her more than I have ever wanted anything in this world other than Henry. I want her and need her in ways that I didn't even know existed until I met her. We go at each other. We take shots at one another. She will not back down from me and I will not back down from her. But maybe...just maybe it's deeper than that. Maybe it's deeper than simple banter and arguments. What if there is actual, mutual, attraction there? Dare I even hope for feelings?" she paused and inhaled a deep, calming breath. " It doesn't even matter anyway. Regina Mills will never look at me and see me the way that I see her. She has found her True Love with the lion tattoo just like Tinker Bell told her. She has found Robin Hood; Her Happily Ever After. I am now, always have been, and always will be Sheriff, Miss Swan, the Savior, and Henry's birth mother. That is all I will ever be to her...no matter how deeply and truly and completely I love her."

With that, Emma grabbed the keys to her yellow bug out of her red leather jacket pocket and rushed back out through the door that she had only just entered through. She did not look back when she heard Ruby calling out her name. She did not slow down when the thunder rumbled with such force that the station shook lightly. She did not notice the dark haired woman standing in the shadows of the dimly lit hallway who had just heard every single word confessed by her Savior.


	2. Chapter 2

One Week. Seven days. One hundred sixty eight hours. Six hundred and four thousand eight hundred seconds. Regina had not received one phone, one text message, one burst into her office. There had been no sign of Emma Swan in an entire week. On the outside, the mayor was a picture perfect pose of victory. She had rid herself of the blonde headed, death trap driving, son stealing saviour. But, on the inside, she was feeling very conflicted and lost. If she was being honest with herself, she would have to say that she was missing the bickering and the snide comments and the constant competition that the sheriff provided for her. She longed for the bursting open of her office door and a very angry blonde charging in with guns and insults blazing.

BAM!

Just as the thought had crossed her mind, the dorrt to the mayors office burst open and in charged a very angry looking sheriff Swan. Wearing her signature tight blue jeans and her ugly boots and that damn white tank top that should never be worn as a shirt on it's own, Emma had a stone cold look on her face; an expression that said she meant business.

"We need to talk." the blonde said simply.

"Yes, I suppose we do." Regina replied while gently closing her office door.

"I'm leaving town." Emma said softly with the same purpose on her face but sadness in those green eyes.

"What?" Regina asked with wide eyes.

"Look, you win, okay? You have wanted me gone since yo figured out who I was. You knew that I was going to break the damn curse but that wasn't the most pressing issue, was it? It has always been about Henry." Regina's hard mask feel for only a moment as she remembered the Sheriff's emotional words only a week before. She should be thrilled by the thought of Emma leaving town; of having HER son back to be hers and hers alone. So why was she filled with sadness? She quickly pulled herself from her thoughts to focus on the other woman's words. "You have made it very clear that Henry is YOUR son and that the power you have over our ability to see one another is stronger than my will to not run. So, I'm leaving town. You and Henry will never have to hear from me again. My parents can go back to the Enchanted Forest with their new baby and start over in their newly rebuilt kingdom without me holding them back. Everything will go back to the way it was before." Emma finished.

She had every intention of yelling; screaming. She wanted to cuss and let all of her emotion out but all she could manager to conjure was her sad voice and a near whisper. She stood waiting for Regina to say something...anything...but it didn't come. No words. No movement. Nothing. She was growing tired of the pitying look on the mayors face so she walked over to the desk and gently placed her badge and her gun upon the prestine surface. She was three steps away from the office door when Regina finally found her words.

"So, that's it then? You are just going to run and leave me to pick up the broken pieces you leave behind? You are just going to run and abandon Henry for a second time?" the brunette laughed disappointedly. "If he is worth no more to you than that then perhaps it would be best if you do disappear."

That was all it took. That last sentance sent Emma over the edge. She turned quickly, throwing her arm around with her body, emitting magic that threw Regina flying backwards and slammed into the couch.

"You do not have one fucking clue what that little boy means to me! I wanted him to be my world! I wanted him to be the reasont that I became a better person. I wanted to settle down with him and watch him grow up! Jesus Christ, Regina, I have missed everything." Emma yelled as her anger boiled within her. "I didn't see his first steps! When he said mama for the first time it wasn't me that he was talking about! You have no fucking clue how painful this is for me! HE IS MY SON! All I wanted to be a part of his life! I just wanted to watch him grow up from this point on! I just wanted to be here!"

"He can't mean that much if you are just going to leave him all over again!" Regina yelled back conjuring a fireball in her hand.

Emma could hardly contain the fury within her. She could feel it running through her veins with every beat of her heart setting her whole body on fire. She flung her arm again, knocking the couch and the mayor backwards and into the floor. Seeing this as the upper hand situation that it was, Emma charged the brunette. The mayor countered the attack by grabbing that ugly white tank top and slinging the sheriff around and to the ground. Both women gained their composure and stood in a stand off in the middle of the mayor's office. Regina squinted her eyes like a predator sizing up its prey. Emma opened and closed her fists, getting the bood to flow for the fight that was about to go down. They both took a step in the others direction with every intention of tearing each other apart. That was until the ground began to shake and the sky began to rumble. A wind began to blow in the office though there were no open windows. Papers and files flew all around the room as the speed of this wind increased. A portal, green and black and white, opened in the ceiling right in front of the mayor and the sheriff. When it grew larger, the rumble in the sky grew louder and sounded like it was furious.

And then...all was silent.

The mayor and the Sheriff exchanged a look of worry, immediately and unconsciously ending the fight that was on the brink of eruption only seconds ago. A voice pulled them from their stare off.

"Fucking ogres! This is such bullshit! You can't get rid of me that easy!" a younger female voice yelled from her crouching postion on the floor.

A clearing on the mayors throat caught the younger girls attention. Her body tensed like she had been sitting outside the principle's office and just got called in for her punishment.

From the back, the two older women could see that the younger girl wore clothing of another realm. The fabric of her white shirt was covered in dirt and evidence of a wooded area. Her pants were a leather material with a large mud stain on the rear end. The boots that she wore were a dark brown and went to nearly her knee. She had a sword in her right hand and a sheath on her left hip. Her hair was dark, nearly black, and pulled into a messy braid down her back nearly covering the tear in her shirt.

As she slowly turned to face the sound of Regina clearing her voice, the mayor and the sheriff could make out the rest of this stranger. Her skin was a beautiful olive but bruising and cuts could clearly be seen on her tone arms and chest. Her eyes were a bright green with dark circles underneath them giving away her lack of sleep and stresses that a young girl should not carry. She was nearly the same height as Regina and had an athletic build. She looked like she couldn't be more than sixteen years old.

She made eye contact with the mayor and a sense of fear flashed in her green orbs. Then her gaze shifted to the sheriff and for a passing second her eyes glassed over. Her eyes bounced between the two women and then grew wide.

"Who are you?" Regina asked.

"Where did you come from?" Emma followed.

The younger girl opened and closed her mouth a few times before she composed herself.

"I am so fucking screwed."


	3. Chapter 3

"I am so fucking screwed."  
"Language!" Emma and Regina said in unison in a stern/motherly tone.  
The younger girl looked at them with unapologetic eyes.  
"You have yet to answer our questions. Who are you? What realm are you from?" Regina asked patiently.  
The younger girl had such confliction in her eyes. Within the green pools, Emma could see pain, fear, hope,  
anger, and longing. This girl was so young. What could have hurt her so badly? What could have her so scared? What could cause such rage and hotility? The sheriff could tell that this girl was avoiding eye contact with her...almost desperately. But, why?  
Sure this girl looked familiar but Emma couldn't place her. She was sure that she didn't know this girl. She obviously was not from this world and the blonde sheriff had only been to the Enchanted Forrest one time.  
"Young lady, I am growing impatient with this. I am going to need some answers from you and I am going to need them very soon. If you cannot provide me with this information I shall have Sheriff Swan place you under arrest and take you into holding." Regina's voice pulled Emma from her thoughts.  
"Look lady, I don't want any trouble. I'm not even supposed to be here. I never wanted to come here. I would like to get home and forget everything that has happened here." the younger girl said.  
"Kid, what would it hurt to just give us your name? We can help you get home, you know?" Emma tried but still the girl only glanced her way for a mere second.  
"I don't need your fucking help!" she yelled.  
"You just landed on your ass smack in the middle of the real world, kid. You are going to need someone to help you!" Emma yelled back.  
"It sure as hell won't be from you or the Evil Queen!"  
"Hey! Watch it, kid! You don't even know her! She is not the Evil Queen anymore!"  
"Stop calling me kid! I am not a fucking child!"  
"Oh, enough of this!" Regina said before engulfing herself, Emma, and the younger girl in purple smoke.  
When the smoke cleared, Emma found herself standing next to the mayor in the middle of the sheriff's station.  
The stubborn ass of a girl was properly standing behind the closed door of the jail cell.  
"You have got to be fucking kidding me! You cannot lock me up in here! I don't have time for this! They need me! You have go to send me back!" she pleaded from between the bars.  
"We asked you very simple questions. Only two, I may add. You did not answer either of them. So, until we get some answers you shall stay here. Think about that overnight. I will be back in the morning to try again. Might I suggest you have some answers for me then." Regina said with her mayor tone of voice befor turning to the Sheriff. "Ms. Swan, a word please."  
Emma nodded, passed a glace to the new pain in her ass behind the closed door, and then followed the mayor out into the hallway.  
"Regina, I don't know about this girl. Something about her seems so...I don't know. Something about her is just ringing some bells." the Sheriff whispered.  
"I know, with me as well. Look, I want you to stay with her tonight. See if you can pinpoint anything about her. See if you can get her to talk to you and use that superpower of yours to see if she is truthful."  
"Why me? Why can't you stay with her?"  
"Because Ms. Swan, I see a lot of you in that girl. I see the emotion in her eyes as well as you do. I see how torn she is as well as you do. I see the pain and the anger in her eyes as well as you do. I have seen that same anger in your eyes before.  
Talk with her. I feel as though she will relate to you better than myself."  
"She won't even look at me for more than a second or two, what makes you think she will talk to me?"  
"Just a feeling that I get. Good night, Sheriff."  
And with that, Regina turned on her heels and exited the station, leaving behind a very lost and confused Emma Swan.  
-Five Hours Later-  
It was now approaching three in the morning. To say that Emma was exhausted was a huge under statement. She had been fighting sleep since about one and was very swiftly approaching giving in. She shut her eyes for only a minute and when she opened them she found a very tired looking but wide awake young brunette staring at her through the steel bars. She had clearly not been asleep either and though her body slouched with her own exhaustion her eyes screamed determination.  
"You look like you could use some sleep, kid" Emma tried, yet again.  
"You, too." the younger girl replied, surprising the Sheriff.  
"I'm trying to figure you out but you aren't giving me anything to go on. Throw a girl a bone."  
"I didn't think the Savior needed any help from any body."  
"So, you know who I am. That tells me that you are from the Enchanted Forrest."  
"What's left of it..."  
"What do mean by that?"  
"The ogres are nearly unstobbable. Castles and kingdoms are crumbling to nothing. Everything as it once was is now gone. Nothing is left except few who have managed to band together and go into hiding. We have some that protect the rest which is why I have got to get back."  
"Holy fuck...I've got to tell Regina and MM and David."  
"Who in the hell are they?"  
"Regina is the woman who put you in here; the one you called the Evil Queen. MM is called Snow White and David is known as Prince Charming where you come from."  
"Snow White is here? In this realm?"  
"Yeah..."  
" FUCK FUCK FUCK! This is bad. This is ver fucking bad!"  
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Emma asked as she started getting very worried.  
"What year is this?" the younger girl asked as the fear in her eyes made itself known once again.  
"Two thousand eighteen."  
Upon hearing Emma's answer, the younger girl grew very pale. Her face held a green tint. Fear had nothing on what Emma was seeing now. Now she was seeing terror and agony written all over this girls face.  
"Holy Fucking Shit...Eighteen years...how...who...this is not possible...time travel...chill the fuck out Remi. Just breathe.  
Take a deep breath and relax." the younger girl said to herself, temporarily forgetting there was someone else in the room.  
"Remi, is that your name?"  
"Huh? What? What did you say?"  
"Is your name Remi?"  
"Yeah...um...Remi Quinn..."  
"That is a great fucking name, kid." the Sheriff said with a big smile on her face.  
"Thanks...my mom picked it out."  
And there it was. That glassy look in her eyes again. But then...an actual tear fell from her eye. It slowly rolled down her cheek but was angrily wiped away before it could fall from her jaw.  
"Hey, kid, you hungry? I think I got a brownie in here somewhere." Emma was desperately trying to change the subject.  
She did not handle emotion well and that was no different with a complete stranger.  
"What's a brownie?" Remi asked.  
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?" Emma yelled.  
-7:30 A.M.-  
Regina made her way into the Sheriff's station with purpose. Today she would get some answers out of that little pest. As she closed the space between herself and door leading into the office space she had to stop. She could not believe what she was hearing. Was something wrong with her hearing? Has years of Henry playing those damned video games at the loudest volume finally caused her damage? Was that really laughter coming from the other end of that hallway? The mayor eased her way aroundthe corner and saw an amazing sight. Emma Swan and this new girl were sitting in the floor with their backs against the cell, side by side, surrounded by snack cake wrappers. Emma was holding her cell phone, which Regina assumed, was playing some sort of video for their entertainment.  
Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke, Maine for the last twenty eight years, should be livid. She should be angry.  
Her blood pressure should be sky high. Emma Swan, the Sheriff of Storybrooke, Maine, had be and is currently ignoring the rules of authority by allowing this...girl out of her cell. That's not even taking into consideration the plastic sugar goods wrappers and caffinated beverage cans cluttering the floor. And how about the celular device that is specifically banned unless an emergency occurs? Complete and utter disrespect. The Mayor should be furious. She should be outraged. She should be...but this scared little girl is laughing and Emma is smiling. Both sets of green eyes are shining; there is no gloom or sadness or anger or fear. There is no negative or resentment.  
"Remi, I promise as long as you are here, I am going to show you every single thing that I love about the real world." Emma says through her smile.  
"Remi?" Regina wonders silently to herself. "That is so beautiful."  
Regina stood there hiding in the corner for nearly ten minutes simply watching and listening. She watched the way the Sheriff and the once terrified girl that would not hold eye contact with the older blonde. She watched Remi smile a smile that stretched to her eyes and the small dimple that formed in her left cheek. She watched Emma smile and listened to her laugh. Emma Swan was smiling so birightly that the entire room seemed to be blinded out with the glow that she was emitting. The mayor wracked her brain and her memory but could only come up with one other situation in which she remembered her Sheriff smiling in that manner. That one situation was the time that she pulled Henry out of the mine and realized that he was perfectly okay. She had never realized how much she loved that smile. Love...wait a damn second...  
"Oh, my..." Regina whispered to herself. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Love Is Evol

 _Love...wait a damn second..._

 _"Oh, my..." Regina whispered to herself._

It was no secret to anyone in Storybrooke, Maine that Regina Mills and Emma Swan, over the past years had started to become...twisted friends. They fight horribly, they occasionally try to kill one another, and Henry Mills appears to be the only common denominator that the two women share. But they also seem to balance each other out, they stablize each other, and they are each a worthy advorsary for the other. They challenged each other in ways that no other person or fairy tale character had before. If both women managed to tell themselves the truth (though they rarely ever managed that very small task) they could say that somewhere down the long and twisted road they began to bond. They shared their different tastes in music, they shared lunches together at Granny's Diner and the Mayor's Office and the Sheriff's Station. They shared the different nightmares of their pasts but left out certain details. They became friends and then they became best friends. But, love? Love is Evol.

Regina Mills had never had an easy life. The constant abuse that Cora put her through, watching the heart of her one true love being ripped from his chest by the same woman that caused her childhood trauma, and then she was passed off to the king like three day old leftovers. She was manipulated into the ways of dark magic by someone that she trusted to teach her magic. She thought she had found happiness after casting the dark curse but she found herself feeling empty and alone. Then came Henry. Eight years of Regina Mills and her son were amazing. And then, the life changing event to trump all others, Emma Swan happened. She rolled into town with her ugly yellow death trap of a vehicle and her hidious leather jackets in every color that one can think of. She stayed in town, even after being told to leave and many failed attempts to force her out, with her smiles and her laughter and her inability to not save every single person in that Godforsaken town. But, the truth that no one could see, she was saving the Mayor and melting the evil within her one day at a time.

Emma Swan had a terrible childhood. Her parents abandoned her on the side of the road when she was only a few days old. She was forced to spend many years in the foster care system; being bounced from house to house and thrown from one family to another. She was never good enough. She was always sent back to the agency. She was always alone. She had always been and always would be an orphan. But then, on her birthday, Henry found her and took her to Storybrooke. That should have been the break in her life that made everything better. She had her son back. She was getting a second chance at her biggest regret in life; giving him up the way that she had been given up at only a few days old. But, with Henry came Regina Mills. They Mayor tried in every single way she could think of to run Emma out of town and out of Henry's life forever. As if trying to kill her and, in turn, killing Henry instead was not bad enough, Regina had hidden a huge secret that came out once the curse was broken by the true love of Emma for her son. Emma found herself completely lost and overwhelmed once again. Fairytales? Snow White? Cinderella? Red Riding Hood? It was all real. Every story that she had read as a child was real. Emma learned that she was not abandoned on the side of the road as she had always thought; she was sent to this world to protect her from the Evil Queen...from Regina.

The Evil Queen and The Savior; two very different women. One born and brought up to be evil; filled with hatred and longing for a happy ending that was no where to be found. The other was born as the product of true love; filled with anger and lonliness that only seemed to get close to being filled a few times to only be torn away before she could even grab a hold. Two very different women...but oh so many similarities. Hatred for the people of their pasts, longing for happiness and belonging, anger for the things that they were forced to endure, lonliness that could not be fulfilled. Neither the Mayor nor the Savior could see the things that they had in common; they were too busy hating each other and fighting over their son when they could have been sharing all of the happiness that he brought to the both of them. Neither could see what the other did for them. Neither of them noticed the glances or the brushing of hands or the smiles or the staring...not until Regina saw Emma in the floor with Remi wearing that smile that she had not seen in a very long time. It was then that the Evil Queen, perishing with every passing moment thanks to the blonde sheriff, realized that the tingling feeling in her chest was not anger or hatred...it was love.

 _"The Savior, the daughter of my nemisis, the mother of my son, the only person that I should dispise more than Snow White, and yet...I love Evil Queen loving the Savior..love IS evol."_


	5. Chapter 5

I would just like to say thank you to all that are following, making me a favorite, reviewing, and sticking with me as we take this journey together. This update took a little more time than I wanted it to but here it is.

Chapter 5: Answers

Regina paced back and forth in her home office with a glass of cider held firmly in her hand. She thought back to seeing her Sheriff with Remi. She thought back to the sound of their laughter ringing in her ears. She thought back to the blinding smile on Emma's face and the ease in Remi's eyes. She thought back to noticing the dimple in Emma's cheek and the matching one on Remi.

 _Regina composed herself and put her official mask into place. She straightened her back and finally walked around the corner, pushing the thoughts of love and tingling and green eyes from her already tired and troubled mind. If she was going to get to the bottom of this situation she really needed to avoid Emma Swan at any and all costs._

 _"I see the hard earned tax dollars are hard at work." Regina snarled as she entered the room._

 _"Good morning to you, too, adam Mayor. Did you sleep well?" Emma asked with a smirk planted on her face._

 _"Ms. Swan, I find it far too early for your snide comments and smarth mouthed questions. Had you done what you were told to do in the night and not been so childish as to treat this situation as a slumber party, perhaps there would be time for pleasantries."_

 _"And if you would pull that stick out of your ass perhaps people could stand to be in the same room as you for more than two seconds."_

 _"You are out of line, Sheriff."_

 _"No, actually I'm not. It's about time somebody said what you need to hear and what everyone is thinking, You are not the evil queen anymore. The people in this town aren't scared of you anymore. I sure as hell am not scared of you. You need to stop treating people like shit and that they aren't even worth the mud on your heels. You are capable of great things, Regina, but the first step is to stop being such a grade a fucking bitch all of the time."_

 _"One more word, Ms. Swan and I'll..."_

 _"You'll what?"_

 _"Stop! Stop! Just fucking stop! The damn fighting has got to stop! The first eleven years of my life all you two did was fucking fight! Jesus Christ!"_

 _Regina and Emma stood as still as statues with their eyes glued to Remi at her current outcry._

 _"What do you mean the first eleven years of your life?" Regina asked with a shaky voice._

 _"Look, I will answer every question that you have. I will tell you every single thing that I know. Just please...please don't fight anymore."_

 _There were tears pouring from a dark green eyes. She could not have been crying for more than a minute or two yet her eyes were puffy and bloodshot as though she had been crying for days on end. It made no logical sense. What DID make perfect sense, however, was the apparent pain and the lingering memories and the desperation on the young girl's face. This girl, this young and innocent girl looked utterly heartbroken._

 _"Okay, kid. Why don't we get some breakfast and then the three of us will sit down and have a talk? Does that sound okay?" Emma asked._

 _"Sure...okay. That works." Remi answered still looking scared and anxious._

 _"How about some pancakes for everyone?" Regina asked in hopes of easing the tension._

 _"What are pancakes?"_

 _"WHAT?!" Regina and Emma yelled at the same time with huge eyes._

 **ABOUT ONE HOUR LATER**

 __ _Remi had eaten three of her own pancakes, one of Emma's pancakes, and one of Regina's pancakes before she had finally declared that she could not eat another bite. The Mayor and the Sheriff could do nothing but watch in complete shock as the small framed girl ingested so much sugary goodness and downed at least thirty two ounces of Dr. Pepper._

 _"Remi, I think that perhaps it is time that we have that discussion." Regina said easily, studying the girls reaction silently._

 _The young brunette visibly tensed and her eyes shot around the room focusing on every thing except the two older women right in front of her._

 _"Kid, everything is going to be okay. Nothing is going to happen to you. You are safe here with us. In case you didn't notice, you are here with one of the most magical beings in any realm and the Savior." Emma said as she placed her hand on Remi's shoulder and grinned._

 _Finally sensing that the Sheriff had an understanding of sorts with herself, Remi looked the blonde in the eye and nodded. "Ask...and I'll answer." She said quietly._

 _"Who are you?" Regina began._

 _"My name is Remi Quinn. I am sixteen years old. I was born here in Storybrooke but I was taken back to the Enchanted Forrest when I was three days old."_

 _"Who took you back? How did you even get back?" Emma asked._

 _"Snow White took me to the Enchanted Forrest...Well her and Prince Charming. She had a magic bean that opened a portal."_

 _"Why am I not surprised that she put her nose where it does not belong?" Regina asked, more to herself than anyone else._

 _"Remi, I need you to tell us exactly what is going on in the Enchanted Forrest." Emma stated looking the younger girl in her deep green eyes._

 _"Sixteen years ago, there was an uprising led by a terrible dark force. The ogres joined up with this ruthless leader and they are sweeping the land as a giant army. They are burning villiages and killing anyone that gets in their way. She plans on taking over the castle that belonged to Prince Charming and Snow White before the dark curse and over taking the entire kingdom. She has been heard saying that she is going to take what is rightfully hers."_

 _"Who is 'she'?" Regina asked through gritted teeth, though she already knew the answer to her own question._

 _"...Cora Mills, Mother of The Evil Queen."_

 _Every muscle in Regina's body went tense. They felt like concrete in her body with the weight and lack of mobility. Her eyes locked on a spot on the floor that wasn't really there. Her mind raced with the memories of her childhood and the teachings of making her ready for royal life from her mother. Her heartbeat grew faster and faster with fear and anxiety._

 _"How in the hell did she get back? I thought she was trapped in the looking glass? I thought she was stuck in Wonderland with no way out?" Emma asked, fear apparent in her voice though she tried to hide it._

 _"There are ways around everything in the other world. There is always a loop hole if you are lucky enough or powerful enough to find it and put it to use."_

 _"Remi..." Regina began, "Earlier you said that Ms. Swan and I fought for the first eleven years of your life...So, I am going to ask you this one more time and I want you to answer me with all of the honesty you have in you. Who are you?"_

 _The younge brunette took a breath that seemed much too deep for someone as small framed as her and then tears filled her eyes ._

 _"My name is Remington 'Remi' Quinn Swan-Mills.I'm sixteen years old. I was born in Storybrook, Maine to Mayor Regina Swan-Mills and Sheriff Emma Swan-Mills on February 3rd, in the year two thousand and two. Three days later, on February sixth, I was taken to the Enchanted Forrest by my grandparents, along with my brother, Henry Swan-Mills. Four days after that, my moms crossed realms and took me and Henry into hiding to prepare us for the war against Cora." By this time, Remi had tears streaming down both of her cheeks._

 _"Swan-Mills?" Was all that Emma could say._

 _"Remi Quinn Swan-Mills..." Regina whispered._

 _"Remi Quinn Swan-Mills..." a weak smile crossed her lips as more hot tears spilled from her eyes. "I'm your daughter."_


	6. Chapter 6

A huge huge huge thank you to every one that is being patient with me and reading as I post. This story is still playing out in my head, along with all of the other things going on in life and I am still trying to find the time to get everything typed and posted for you lovely people.

*Side note: It would appear that I made a time line mistake in the previous chapter. I said that Remi Quinn Swan-Mills was born in 2002. This is incorrect. She was born in and taken to the EF in 2020. The year that she is from is 2036. Sorry to anyone that noticed this. I will try to do better with the details.

 _ **Chapter 6: The Confession**_

 _"Remi Quinn Swan-Mills..." a weak smile crossed her lips as tears spilled from her eyes. "I'm your daughter."_

Regina Mills and Emma Swan sat in stunned silence. It was beginning to make Remi highly uncomfortable.

"Um...words would be a great idea right about now." Remi said with a sheepish smile that matched the one that Emma used numerous times.

"How is this even possible?" Regina asked.

"You are from the Enchanted Forrest and you can't figure it out?" Remi countered.

"True Love..." Emma whispered.

"See? Even Ma has got it all figured out."

"Ma?" Emma whispered again.

"Emma? Are you alright?" Regina asked with genuine concern.

The Sheriff's normally pale skin held a green tint. Her green eyes appeared sunked in and glassed over. Beads of sweat were forming on her forehead and on her upper lip.

"Daughter...Ma...Cora...Swam-Mills...True Love..." Emma muttered.

"Emma?" Regina asked again as she put her hand on her Sheriff's shoulder.

The blonde jumped as though a bolt of lightening had shot right through her entire body. She jumped to her feet, mumbled a quiet 'I'm sorry', and then ran right out of the door.

Regina watched the other woman leave the room, her eyes filled with worry and fear. Worry that Emma would run again and fear that she would never see her again. After a moment, the Mayor wiped her face of all emotion and turned back to Remi.

"I guess that was just too much information all at one time for Ms. Swan." the older brunette offered.

"You're scared that she's going to run again." Remi said looking straight into her mother's eyes.

"What the Sheriff does or does not do is her decision and hers alone. It does not oncern me either way."

"Mom, you have never been a good liar, especially when Ma is concerned. I know that you are already feeling it; the pull. Her leather jackets, her ugly yellow bug, the way that she just has to save every single person she comes in contact with...you are drawn to everything that makes her...well...her. Ever since she got here, you have felt something; you thought that it was hate and loathing but now you are beginning to realize that it is so much more. You love her. More than that...you are IN LOVE with her. And you know that you are."

Regina's face held some emotion that was...unexplainable.

"You truly are the offspring of Emma Swan. She is the only person, besides Henry, that has ever called me out like you just did. Remi, the things you have said...if all you say is true then Emma and I will get together some where within the next two years. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"That is not a very specific time line, dear."

"You and Ma get married on October seventh in two thousand eighteen."

"That is THIS year. That is eight and a half months from now."

"Yes it is."

"And you are born in February of two thousand twenty?"

"Yes I am."

"Pregnancy generally runs for nine months if the baby goes full term..." Regina was more talking to herself than the younger girl in front of her. "May would have been the month of conception. That is seven months after marriage. That means that you will be born a year and three months. Is that correct?"

"Mom, I am really going to need you to take a deep breath, take a step back, and for once in your high strung life...let things take the course that they were meant to take. You and Ma are meant to be together. Call it fate or destiny what ever you want. No matter what title you give this situation, the outcome is the same: Regina Mills and Emma Swan are ENDGAME. You and Ma are True Love. And me...well I am the product of that; just like Ma."

"You are the product of True Love?"

"I am. Ma was the born of True Love to Snow White and Prince Charming. I was born of True Love to The Evil Queen and The Savior."

"I no longer answer or refer to myself by that title."

"I know and I'm sorry." Remi said genuinelly.

"Now, dear, tell me more about Emma and myself."

"Mom, I could sit here all day long and tell you every little detail and story about your story of True Love, or you could go and try to catch the woman that you love before she leaves town and slips out of your fingers forever."

Realization dawned on the Mayor of Storybrooke. Emma was a runner by nature. When things got too hard, she runs. Why should this time be any different? Why should she make any difference at all? She had never even indicated her feelings to Emma. There was no way that Emma could know how Regina felt about her. Did Emma feel the same? It's True Love, so she should, shouldn't she? At this point it did not even matter. Regina Mills loves her Sheriff. She loves her more than she ever loved Daniel. She wants to be with her more than she wants to breathe. She wants to love her and keep her safe and to spend forever with her and to finally get her happy ending with the woman that she loves.

Huge brown eyes locked with knowing green eyes.

"Mom! GO. GET. HER."

Without another word, Regina turned and ran out of the door, down the hallway and out onto the sidewalk. The Mayor jumped in to her car and drove like a bat out of hell in the direction of the loft that her Sheriff shared with Mary Margret. When she pulled up and finished praying to anything that was listening that Emma was still there, she ran up the stairs; taking them no less than two at a time until she reached the weathered door. Regina never even slowed down. She did not knock. She did not hesitate; she burst through the door at full speed.

The Mayor was appalled and disturbed by the sight before her: Snow White was sitting at her dining room table drinking her tea as though the entire world had not been turned up side down by the unexpected arrival of a very obnoxious sixteen year old girl.

"She's gone, Regina. She left ten minutes ago." David said from the living room where she had not seen him when she rushed into the room.

"What do you mean 'gone'?" Regina questioned.

"She came in with tears running down her face, grabbed her red jacket beacause it is her favorite, and she left. She never said a single word." Snow White spoke as though she was in a trance of some sort. "That's how I knew that she was leaving for good. She was running yet again. What is she running from, Regina? What did you do?"

"I...she...we..." the Mayor struggled to find her words. "I have to find her." she whispered right before she ran back out of the door.

"Now where have I heard that before?" Charming asked with a smile.

"David, this is no time for jokes!" Snow White shreiked.

"Who's joking? Snow, we have known that this was cooming. Emma is in love with Regina and Regina is in love with Emma. They are good for each other. The both of them, together, are good for Henry. It is time to put the past behind us and to look forward to the future that they are going to get. They both deserve happiness and I, for one, will not stand in the way of that!"

"Perhaps you're right. I just hope she gets to Emma in time."

 _ ******************ACROSS TOWN******************_

 __"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Emma screamed in a panicked rage.

She kicked the rim of the flat tire on the back of her yellow bug. She looked up at the 'Now Leaving Storybrooke' sign and cursed again at the sky.

"All I want to do is leave. I just want to get away. Why is that so fucking hard? Why can't I just leave?"

"And why would you want to do something as stupid as that?" Regina asked from her position behind Emma.

"It's just too much, Regina. I don't feel like a hero or a Savior. I just feel like what I have always been...alone. There are all of these people around me that need me for this fucking thing or that fucking thing. What if I can't give them everything that they need from me? What if I can't be this Savior that Henry and every body else needs me to be? What if I fail? What if I can't give them their happy endings?" Emma questioned with tears streaming down her face.

Regina had never seen Emma so...broken and defeated. Her eyes were empty. Her posture was sagging. She had no glow about her. This was not right. It literally hurt Regina's heart to see the woman that she loved to be so down. She wanted to take her in her arms and hold her until all of the fear subsided. She wanted to kiss all of those pesky tears away and to banish them away forever. That was the second that it became clear to the Mayor: Emma had saved her from her evil counterpart and now she was going to save the blonde from her most persistant demon...herself.

"Oh, Emma. Can you not see it? You are already the Savior. You broke the Dark Curse. You have already returned the happy endings. Your parents are back together, yet again. You destroyed the Evil Queen. You and I have fought so hard to redeem all of the things that I have done in my past. You made me see that a happy ending is worth fighting for and that an ex-villian can have a happy ending. The thought of losing that again simply terrifies me."

"Wait, if you are afraid of losing your happy ending then that means you found it. What is it?" Emma asked with tear stained cheeks and eyes full of hope.

"You are." Regina answered with a loving smile.


	7. Chapter 7

_**29 Reviews. 96 Followers. Holy hell! Thank you so so so so much! I know that I have taken some time to post this new chapter but in my defense...life happens. Thank you to all who are taking this journey with me. I just wanted to let everyone know that I am really interested to see where you think this is going and any suggestions that you may have. Thank you again!**_

 **CHAPTER 7: THE CHANCE**

 _"Wait, if you are afraid of losing your happy ending then that means you found it. What is it?" Emma asked with tear stained cheeks and eyes full of hope._

 _"You are." Regina answered with a loving smile._

 _Regina paced back and forth in her home office with a glass of cider held firmly in her hand. She thought back to seeing her Sheriff with Remi. She thought back to the sound of their laughter ringing in her ears. She thought back to the blinding smile on Emma's face and the ease in Remi's eyes. She thought back to noticing the dimple in Emma's cheek and the matching on on Remi._

Some may say that 7:30 in the morning is a bit early for a alcoholic beverage. Those people had not had the past two days that Regina Mills had just experienced. From ex-Evil Queen who could not stand to be in the same room as Emma Swan and trying to end Snow White all while trying to hold her son close and keep him to herself to Mayor of Storybrooke trying to redeem herself of her past mistakes, learning that the Savior is her one True Love and that they will marry and have a child in the future. That created one hell of a fourty eight hour streak.

Regina walked over from the front of her fireplace to the window over looking her beloved apple tree. She saw the green leaves and the bright red fruit. She saw the healthy and sturdy trunk and the blooming branches. And then she saw the scar caused by none other than Emma Swan. The annoying blonde curls. The stupid leather jackets that she owns in every single color that one can imagine. That Charming state of mind. The green eyes deeper than any ocean. The laugh that would make wars stop just to listen. The smile that held such beauty, the angels themselves would feel jealousy. The Happy Ending that she was sure that she had lost when she lost Daniel.

 _"It's a little early for cider, don't you think?"_ Henry called from the doorway.

 _"Henry...I..."_ Regina tried but failed to find her words upon being caught by her son.

 _"Mom, it's okay."_ the seventeen year old said softly as he walked toward her. _"I know that every thing is really confusing right now. But, if I may, I'd like to say a few things to you. When Ma first came to Storybrooke to bring me home, I saw it in your eyes. You took one look at her and your soul instantly connected with hers. The second she looked into your eyes, she knew that she wanted to be close to you; she told me so one time. She loves you, mom. She proably hasn't said it yet. She probaly won't say it for a while. But, I can see it. You love her and she loves you. She took the evil away. And you...you gave her a reason to stay. She may not see it yet, but she is here to stay. She won't run again."_

He took the tumbler of cider, gently from her hand and he smiled at her. She wiped the tear from her cheek and returned her son's smile.

 _"How did you get so wise?"_ she asked him.

Henry flashed that lopsided half smirk and said _"I get it from my moms...both of them."_

 _"Henry Mills you have been the greatest thing in my life for seventeen years. You are going to graduate in a few months. You were the best receiver that the high school has ever seen. You are a straight A student. You are an amazing person and I could not be more proud of the man that you have grown in to."_

 _"There is a pot of coffee in the kitchen. I'm taking Remi to Granny's for lunch and then I'm take her around town. You and Ma need to talk."_ He said as he walked toward the door to leave. _"Oh, and mom...I love you."_ and with that he walked out of the door.

Regina waited a few minutes, allowing the words spoked by her son to sink into her mind, before walking to the kitchen for her morning coffee. Leaning against the counter as she took her first sip, a thought hit her: it was time to talk to Emma.

 _ **-THIRTY MINUTES LATER**_ _ **-**_

Emma awoke in a very unfamiliar room. It was bright from the morning sun shining on the bed trhough the window. The pillow was thick and supportive of her normally stiff neck muscles. The blanket was heavy but not so to make her hot or uncomfortable. The sheets were a cool silk. The air smelled of bacon and eggs and coffee and apples...and there it was. Immediately Emma knew where she was. The scent of apples meant Regina. Regina meant that everything that had happened had not been a dream. It had all been real. Everything that she was told was true.

Emma sat up in the bed and rubbed her tired eyes with the ends of her fingers. She threw the blanket back and grabbed her pants from the floor (even though she did not remember removing them at any point in the night). She dressed and then she made her bed; three different times she made and then restarted so that it would be perfect. Regina strived for perfection, the least Emma could do was leave the bed in pristine condition.

Unable to make the corners any more angled and with no more wrinkles to flatten out, Emma opened the door and walked down the short hard-wood hallway. When she reached the top of the staircase, she paused to brace herself for whatever may come when she reached the kitchen. She descended slowly, made the turn, and walked toward the room where the Mayor of Storybrooke was making breakfast. The blonde took in a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. She reached her hand forward and eased the door open but was completely baffled by the sight before her.

Regina fucking Mills was in the kitchen...dancing...and singing along with the radio.

 _"Ohh baby._

 _I be stuck to you_

 _Like glue baby._

 _Wanna spend it all on you_

 _Baby_

 _My room is the G spot_

 _Call me Mr. Flinstone_

 _I can make your bed rock."_

Now, Emma Swan had never really been a fan of rap music with the exception of Eminem every now and again. She was able to recognize some of the rap songs that she had heard over the years but she never really turned them on by her own choice. This song that she recognized...she never expected to hear it within hearing distance of Regina Mills; let alone watch her sing along and dance to it. If she was being honest with herself, she would have to say that this song, these lyrics, those body movements...this was the sexiest thing that she had ever seen. As the song (and the sexy dancing) came to an end, Emma eased her way into the kitchen and sat down at the bar behind Regina. The older woman sensed her Sheriff and without missing a beat, she poured and placed a cup of coffee in front of the blonde; vanilla caramel creamer...just the way she liked it. Regina turned back around for a brief moment but then turned back to Emma with two plates in her hands. Emma's eyes were wide causing Regina to smile.

 _"Breakfast?"_ the brunette asked.

 _"That would be great."_ Emma replied.

 _"I thought, perhaps we could eat and then talk a bit. Would that be alright with you?"_

 _"Um...yeah."_

 _"Emma, we are just going to have a casual conversation. No strings attached. No expectations. Just two people getting to know one another. It occurs to me that you and I have lived in the same place for seven years now but I know nearly nothing about you. Today, I aim to change that. I don't want to think about all of the things that Remi has told us. I want to get to know Emma Swan."_

The blonde smiled a small smile; _"I would like that very much."_

 _"Good. Orange juice or apple juice?"_

 _"Orange."_

The two ate the breakfast, skillfully prepared by the Mayor. Scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon fried crispy, toast with strawberry jelly, and a bowl of mixed fruit. It was a quiet meal but not awkward in the slightest.

 _"So, Emma, where would you like to go today? What would you like to do?"_

Emma blushed slightly and looked to the floor.

 _"Well, I would like to take a shower and change my clothes before I'm seen anywhere with the most beautiful woman in Storybrooke."_

Now it was Regina's turn to blush. _"Um...well...I can summon you some clothes from your place and you can shower here or I can take you home and then we can get together after._

 _"If...if it's alright with you, I would like to stay here. You can get me some clothes and I'll use the guest shower. I'll be really quick. I just...don't want to face Mary Margaret yet. I need to figure everything out and we need to talk before I talk to her."_ Emma replied shyly.

 _"Of course, dear. Although, the guest shower is rather small. You are more than welcome to use the master bathroom. It is much larger and I am very much partial to the jets in the shower. The towels are hanging by the shower. The water has the tendency to get very hot so spend as much time as you need. We are on no time limit and we are in no rush. I'll leave your clothes on my bed so that you can get them when you are finished."_

 _"Thank you, Regina...for everything. Letting me stay here last night and the use of your shower and for the breakfast...just, thank you."_ Emma began up the stairs in the direction of the master bathroom but stopped halfway up. _"I promise that we will talk right after. I know that we have a lot to talk about."_

Just as she said, Regina summoned Emma clothes from her closet at the loft. A simple pair of skinny jeans, a white tank top, and the proper under garnments, socks, her black boots, and her red leather jacket. When the clothing appeared in a cloud of purple smoke on the couch, Regina picked up and carefully folded every piece and stacked them neatly. When the Mayor entered her bedroom to deposit the clothing, she had no intention of looking in the direction of the bathroom door. When she lloked in the direction of the bathroom door, she had no intention of walking over to it. When she noitced that the door was slightly ajar, she peered in, curiousity getting the best of her. She was not being a pervert. She was not trying to see Emma naked. She honestly did not know what she was doing or why she looked in on her Sheriff.

A small gasp escaped the Mayor's perfectly plump lips. There had not been a single doubt in her mind that her Sheriff would be absolutely stunning underneath all of her clothing but she never expected to see the thickened skin upon her otherwise flawless back. She never expected to see long thin lines or wide short ones. She never expected to see scarring. The horror stories of the foster care system were very hard to swallow at times but to see, to actually see the outcome was something different entirely.

Ten minutes later, Emma descended down the stairs for the second time that morning. This time, however, she had decided she was going to actually be positive instead of terrified and withdrawn. In the past years, she had come to learn that her mother was Snow White, her best friend was the Big Bad Wolf, and she was the Savior meant to break the Evil Queen's dark curse and restore the Happy Endings to all of Storybrooke. Why should it matter if Regina was once the Evil Queen? Magic is real. Destiny is real. Prophecies are real. Doesn't that mean that Regina may be her True Love should also be real? Doesn't that mean that Regina may actually be her True Love? The attraction and the sexual tension had been forever present between the two of them. The long looks. The constant banter back and forth. Henry; and now Remi. The only thing missing was the big music number where they confess their love for the other and then they ride off into the sunset. Emma was tired of running. She was going to give this a real chance. And she was going to start by having this talk with Regina.

Emma rounded the corner to find the Mayor sitting on the couch with a look of pain in her eyes and her face twisted in confusion.

 _"Hey, are you okay?"_ the blonde asked.

Regina, putting her face back to normal, smiled up at Emma. _"Of course, dear. Did you enjoy your shower?"_

 _"Very much so. Thank you again."_

 _"You are more than welcome. Henry has taken Remi into town with him. So, if you are still interested, we have plenty of time to talk."_

 _"Actually, I would like that very much. Do you mind if I start?"_ Emma asked shyly. With the brunettes nod of approval, the Sheriff continued. _"There has only ever been one constant thing in my life...running. I was moved from one foster home to another. And, when I was old enough, I started running away from them before they could send me back to the orphange. I ran from fourteen different foster homes before I finally aged out. When I turned eighteen I ran to Boston, met Neal, went to prison, and then I just kept bouncing around. The longest I ahve spent in one place is seven years and that has been here. That is all thanks to you and Henry."_ This caught Regina's attention. _"When Henry brought me here to Storybrooke, he told me that it was to break the Evil Queen's curse. You were so convinced that I was trying to take him fromyou, when really all I wanted was to be a part of his life...of the life that you two shared. If you hadn't fought me so damn hard, I never would have stayed here for so long. I know that sounds awful but I also know that you are the better parent for him. You always have been. "_ Emma smiled weakly. _"Regina, I have never been good with words...or much of anything really. I have always run away. I have always bailed. But, this,"_ she motioned between the Mayor and herself. " _I don't WANT to run away from this. I want to give it a real try. In the past seven years, I have learned many things. I have learned that I have parents and they are loving unlike I thought. I have learned taht my son is safe and smart and amazing all the way around. And I have learned that magic is real. Magic, True Love, destiny, fate...they all go hand in hand and I'd...I'd like to give all of this a chance. So, with all of that said, I have a question for you."_

 _"What's that, dear?"_

 _"Could I, maybe, take you to dinner tonight?"_

 _"Are you asking me out on a date, Ms. Swan?"_

 _"Um...yes?"_  
 _"I would love to, but, if I may...until this situation is better understood, perhaps we should keep things between us. Perhaps I could cook you dinner tonight? Have some wine? Talk some more? We can go out to dinner eventually. I just feel that this would be safer for now."_

 _"That sounds perfect."_

 _ **"**_ _Emma, dinner is about ready. Would you care to set the table?"_ Regina asked politely.

Emma had spent the last twenty minutes just watching the Mayor as she moved around the kitchen preparing yet another meal. She moved smoothly around grabbing this thing and that thing. She wore the most adorable white apron over her clothing making her look like a regular Betty Crocker. She held her chin up confidently and without fear. It seemed as though this woman was flawless. Emma was seeing her in a whole new light and, truth be told, she was really liking it.

 _"Sure thing. Um...plates?"_ the blonde asked.

 _"Oh, of course."_ Regina movd around and sat everything that they would need on the kitchen counter. Emma grabbed it all up and carried it to the dining room to do as she was asked. After only a minute or so the table was complete with Emma's touch of candles in the center of everything. It was only a few seconds later that Regina carried out a steaming dish of her homemade lasagna.

 _"This smells and looks amazing, Regina."_ Emma said as her stomach announced that it would be appreciating the food soon.

The two of them sat at the table and served themselves a helping of the pasta as well as a breadstick (or two in Emma's case).

 _"Emma, if I may, I would like to say some things to you before we really get started or go any further."_ Emma nodded her head. _"My past goes much deeper than Henry's book describes. The things that my...mother put me through...there was only so much that my father could protect me from. He feared her just as much as everyone else but he tried nonetheless. When I lost Daniel, I felt as though my entire world had crashed all around me. For far too long, I have blamed your mother for that loss when I should have been blaming my own mother. Daniel...was a truly amazing person and I loved him very dearly. I had convinced myself that her was my one True Love and in losing him I lost that as well as my Happy Ending and my light. I blamed your mother for taking away my Happy Ending, my True Love, my world...but I had no idea that would be giving it back to me in the form of her child. I know that this was a lot of information to take in all at one time. I know that all of this is very overwhelming."_ the brunette shook her head and smiled to herself. _"To think that the daughter of the person that I thought had ruined my life for so long would come to Storybrooke to break my curse, restore the Happy Endings, and turnout to be the person that I am meant to spend forever with...it's ridiculous."_ Emma felt a ping in her chest at this and it very clearly showed on her face. _"Oh, no, Emma. I did not mean that the way that it sounded. I care about you so much. I want to protect you and keep you safe. I am having difficulty understanding and comprehending all of these things that I am feeling. Ms. Swan, I have been attracted to you ever since the very first time I laid my eyes on you. Simple sexual attraction was the reasoning my mind decided on and therefore I tried to convince myself of that. However, Remi has shown me that it has been so much more than that this entire time. I have been drawn to you. I am still drawn to you. Our hearts and our souls are connected. I want nothing more than to give us a chance. I want to put our pasts away. I want us to focus on the here and the now. I want to get to know the Emma Swan that I have been missing out on for the past seven years...if you will allow me to do so."_

 _"I want to start small and slow. I want to know every little thing and detail about you. I want to talk and to share and get to know each other on a personal level that no one else has before. Regina, I want this. I want you. I want us. I have never wanted anything the way that I want you. I can't explain it. My head is all blurry and my heart has this tendency to race whenever you are around. That alone terrifies me. I don't do relationships. I don't do trust. I don't do settling down. I don't do comittment. But, good Gods, do I want all of that with you. You make me want all of the things that I have never wanted before. You make me feel things that I have never felt before. I am terrified and excited all at the same time. So, we have got to take this slow."_ Emma agreed.

 _"Slow is good. I can be agreeable with slow."_ Regina stated.

There was a silence for a few passing moments until the brunette's voice spoke so quietly that it was barely a whisper.

 _"We are really going to do this? You are really going to give me a chance?"_

 _"Isn't that what you said you wanted?"_

 _"It is what I want. You also said that it is what you want."_

 _"I do. So, now what do we do?"_

 _"I suppose we take things day by day and moment by moment."_

 _"What about Remi and Henry?'_

 _"Emma...Remi knows that we will be together as she is from the future and as far as Henry goes, well he has wanted this to happen for a very long time it would appear. He told me once that I really seem happy around you and that he wanted me to be happy all of the time. He then suggested that I allow you to move into the guest room. At that point, I had not known what to say to our, then nine year old, son so I told him that there was no way I would ever allow you to live under my roof. At this point, however, I have to say that I am looking forward to that milestone in our up and coming relationship._

 _"Honestly...me too. I've been undressing you with my eyes for years. I am very much ready to do it with my teeth."_

Emma's eyes were the size of saucers.

 _"I just fucking said that out loud, didn't I?"_

Regina's normally chocolate eyes turned the color of a starless sky with desire. She bit her bottom lip then released it to say _"And just what else are you ready to do to me, Ms. Swan?"_


	8. Chapter 8

_**So, this is a very short chapter and I apologize for that so very much. I have so much going on in my life right now and it has distracted me from my story. I know, I'm horrible. I'm sorry. Anyway, I have 35 reviews at this moment in time but I NEED more. Tell me what you think. Tell me what you see coming. Tell me how horrible I am. Tell me SOMETHING!**_

 _ **CHAPTER 8: THE TALK**_

 _"Honestly, me too. 've been undressing you with my eyes for years. I am very much ready to do it with my teeth."_

 _Emma's eyes were the size of saucers._

 _"I just fucking said that out loudm didn't I?"_

 _Regina's normally chocolate eyes turned the color of a starless sky with desire. She bit her bottom lip then released it to say "And just what else are you ready to do to me, Ms. Swan?"_

"Well...um...s-see... I didn't really mean to sat that out loud. My mouth has a tendency to speak before my mind has the chance to tell it no." Emma answered and then smiled sheepishly.

"I see...perhaps you would lie to go to my office to talk a little more? Maybe get to know each other a little better now that we agree on our intentions?" Regina offered.

"Sure..."

The two women cleared the table. Regina washed and rinsed dishes while Emma dried them and stacked them on the counter to be put away. This only took about twenty minutes and it was still early in the evening so they still had plenty of time to talk.

"Cider?" Regina asked as they enteed the office.

"Hell yes?" Emma answered.

"Are you feeling your nerves, dear?"

"Honestly? Regina fucking Mills just cooked me dinner, told me that she wants to give us a chance, and is about to try to get to know me... If you would have told me five years ago that this would be happening I would have laughed in your face. I talked to Mary Margaret about you one time. I told her that I didn't know what chance I had with you. You are the amazingly beautiful Mayor and I'm just...me. So for this to actually be happening is a miracle all on it's oen."

"Did...did you just sat that I am beautiful?" Regina asked timidly.

"I did and I mean it. Regina Mills you are the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen."

"Emma Swan, you are full of surprises."

"You're welcome." Emma said and then smirked.

"Indeed. So, how would you like to begin?" Regina asked.

"What is your favorite color?" Emma asked with a smile.

"Excuse me?"

"I think that it is purple but I could be wrong. What is your favorite color?"

"It...is purple. What is yours?"

"Black. But, people have told me that black is not really a color; it is the absence of color. Purple is my seond favorite and then it is blue." Emma stated plain and simple.

"My turn again." Regina said with a smile knowing good and well that it was not her turn. "Tell me something that not many people know about you."

"I love music. I mean, I really love it. Ever since I got my first pair of headphones when I was six years old, not a single day has gone by without listening to it." Regina propped her head on her fist with her elbow on the back of the couch as she listened. "The first song I ever heard through headphones was Every Rose Has It's Thorn by Poison. In less than two hours I learned every single word to that song. By the age of ten I had taught myself how to play guitar. By thirteen I could play the drums. The first song I played on guitar perfectly was Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry. I taught myself over fifty songs on a guitar. I am no where near as impressive on the drums though. I only learned a few songs on them." Emma seemed to be glowing as she spoke about her hidden passion. "I have always wanted a guitar of my own but with all of the traveling I have done it just seemed pointless. Even without it though, there is still music. There will always be music. When I have had a bad day I like to put in my headphones and turn the volume up as lous as it will go. If I am alone I will just sing the anger out. If I'm not alone, I will go for a drive and sing with all that I have. It helps a lot, actually. I had to find an outlet as a teenager and it was music."

Regina could do nothing but smile. Despite the refusal to believe her heart in the past, there was denying it now; she loved Emma Swan. The organ in question swelled with the happiness on Emma's face.

"What is it you do for fun, Madam Mayor?" Emma asked pulling the brunette from her thoughts.

"Plan the demise of my enemies, of course." she answered with a smirk. "No, in all honesty, I really enjoy dancing. I am not especially skilled in the art but I do like to do it. I like the feeling of the bass in my chest and feeling the flow as my feet catch the rythym. It's rather freeing." she smiled a simple smile. "What are we doing, Emma?"

"We are getting to know each other. We are telling each other things about ourselves that we may not know. We are falling in love. Though, I'm pretty sure I did that a long ass time ago..." Emma said and looked up to make eye contact with Regina.

"Oh, Emma, I have loved you for years. I picked fights with you because you are sexy when you are angry. I have been attracted to you since the first time I saw you. I know that I have used Henry to hurt you in the past but, truthfully, you are so great with him. He loves you. He has always loved you. Henry is our son. Ours. Yours and mine. I cannot apologize enough for ever making you feel or think otherwise. I have hurt you so many times. I ruined your life. I seperated you from your parents the day that you were born. I will never be able to make all of that up to you. However, I am so very willing to spend forever trying."

Emma sat completely still and silent with tears streaking down her pale cheeks.


	9. Chapter 9

_**I am currently in search of a beta. Any takers? Pppppllllleeeeeeaaaaasssseeee?**_

 _ **41 Reviews. 43 Favorites. 114 Followers. 6180 Views. You guys are so amazing. Truly. Without you I would have no reason to write this story. Keep the feedback coming as it is the thing that keeps me going. Also, let me know where you see this thing going. What is something you would like to see happen? Oh...are you ready for more Remi? See you next time...**_

 _ **CHAPTER 9: The First Date**_

 _"Oh, Emma, I have loved you for years. I picked fights with you because you are sexy when you are angry. I have been attracted to you since the first time I saw you. I know that I have used Henry to hurt you in the past but, truthfully, you are so great with him. He loves you. He has always loved you. Henry is our son. Ours. Yours and mine. I cannot apologize enough for ever making you feel or think otherwise. I have hurt you so many times. I ruined your life. I seperated you from your parents the day that you were born. I will never be able to make all of that up to you. However, I am so very willing to spend forever trying."_

 _Emma sat completely still and silent with tears streaking down her pale cheeks._

 _ **THE LOFT 5:25PM**_

Emma paced frantically around the apartment she shared with her mother and father. Her make-up was done and her hair was perfect. Her face was not covered in paint as usual; just the typical eye liner and mascara. Her hair was in a pony tail that held light curls. She could not remember a time when she had been more nevous.

 _"Emma, honey, you need to calm down."_ Mary Margaret said from her place at the dining room table.

 _"Yeah, Ma. Everything is going to be just fine."_ Henry added from the living room where he sat next to David on the couch.

 _"I really don't know why I'm this way. I mean we met our kid from the future. We know that we are going to end up together. We know that we are going to get married and have a daughter to go with our son. We get together and we stay together and we have Henry and we have Remi. There is no reason to panic, right? There is no reason. I am just overreacting. I am just...OH MY FUCKING GOD! I AM GOING ON A DATE WITH REGINA FUCKING MILLS."_ Emma said finally collapsing in the chair next to her mother.

 _"Honey, take a breath. Like you just said, you and Regina end up married. This is simply the first step to getting to that point in your life. This is True Love and True Love is the most powerful magic. It is the only magic that can cure any curse and cross realms. I know that I was a little less than supportive about this at first but when you really think about it, you and Regina are the perfect match. You are total opposites which means you balance each other out. And...speaking as a mother, she makes you happy. That is enough for me."_ Mary Margaret said calmly.

 _"You're right. You are right. I just have to get dressed because we all know that I am sharp as hell and cute as always. I have confidence and...she already loves me. This could be it, you know? This could be my happy ending. She could be my happy ending. This could all work out in the very best way. I just have to take it one minute at a time."_ Emma said as she ran up the stairs to her room to get her clothes on.

Ten minutes later she was slowly descending the stairs completely ready. She hugged her mother and smiled a knowing smile at Henry. She left the apartment and paused for a moment to get her wits about her. She was pulled from her breathing when she heard the door open and then close behind her.

 _"You know, you gotta look for the moments."_ David said to his near frantic daughter.

 _"Moments?"_ Emma asked skeptically.

 _"Yes. Life is made up of moments - good ones, bad ones, but they're all worth living."_

 _"Well, I seem to be a magnet for the bad ones."_

 _"Well, then all the more reason to look for the good moments in between the bad ones."_

 _"And you think having dinner with Regina will be a good moment?"_

 _"I don't know. Does she eat with her mouth open?"_ He asked with a knowing smirk.

 _ **The Manor 5:25pm**_

 _"The black one looked so much better. It showed just the right amount of boobage but also says that you can look but not touch."_ Remi said to her brunette mother as she walked out of the bathroom for the eleventh time that night.

The two of them had been at this for hours. This was a huge night for Regina but for the teen, it was just a story she had heard as a child. It was odd to be experiencing it first hand. Time travel is weird that way.

 _"Boobage? You truly are the child of Emma Swan."_ Regina said in a playful tone.

Remi smiled but it did not reach her eyes. She also was not so practiced in the hiding of her emotions that shown through her green orbs as her blonde mother.

 _"So, would you like to tell me what that is all about?"_ Regina asked, pulling her daughter from her trouble thoughts...perhaps memories.

 _"What on Earth do you mean?"_ Remi asked in return.

 _"Remington Quinn Swan-Mills, you know exactly what I mean. You refused to look at Emma for very long when you first got here. You still seem to have trouble looking her in the eye. You distance yourself from her and it seems as though you are angry with her. Why is that?"_

 _"I...I can't tell you. If I do, it could change everything."_

 _"I know that there is not much information on time travel but I also know that things change over time. What should be is not. What should not be simply is. What could be shouldn't be. What could not be should be. It is very difficult to follow and even more difficult to predict."_

 _"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY?!"_ Remi asked her mother in a playful yet still confused tone.

 _"You know, the two of you are very much alike. The facial expressions you make, your eyes, your smile, that damn dimple...all Emma Swan."_

 _"You have told me my whole life how much I am like her. You told me how much I am like her and she told me how much I am like you. I have her smile and her eyes and her dimple. I have your skin tone and your hair and your attitude. Her smart mouth. Your jawline. It has never really been a competition or anything like that. It just is remarkable to some people that I am literally the genetic make up of you and her. A product of True Love just like her...only different."_

 _"Different how?"_

 _"Like I said, she is the product of the True Love of Snow White and Charming. Everyone knows that. I am the product of True Love of The Queen and The Savior. But I am also a child of magic. I was not...created in the usual way. Some how, and no one knows how, the light magic that she has and the dark magic that you have combined and created a child...me."_ Remi explained. _"Not even The Dark One can come up with an explination for my creation. But, I guess in a way, it makes complete sense. My mothers are the most powerful weilders of magic of this time. Why would they not have a child born of pure awesomeness?"_

 _"And like I said...Little Emma Swan." Regina smiled._

" _Little Emma Swan-Mills, actually."_ The younger girl paused for a brief moment before continuing with a serious tone to her voice. _"In time, you will understand my delima with her. I can't give you the details just yet but you will understand. I promise you that."_ Remi reached out and touched her mothers hand gently.

Regina looked down at the touch only to notice that Remi had Emma's hands as well. They were strong, strong enough to properly use and swing a sword in battle. They were soft, soft enough for gentle touches. Her fingers were long and skinny. Her veins stuck out and probably did more so when she was stressed or angry like Emma's.

 _"Mom...mom..."_ Regina snapped her head up to look at her daughter. _"Ma will be here in like fifteen minutes. You have got to get done getting ready."_ Remi announced.

 _"Right...right...date...OH MY GOD! I HAVE A DATE WITH EMMA SWAN!"_

 _ **6:15 PM**_

 _ **ON THE DOT**_

 _ **BECAUSE THIS IS REGINA MILLS**_

 _ **AND SHE EXPECTS NOTHING LESS**_

Regina had been pacing around her office for nearly thirty minutes. She considered having some cider but decided against it as she wanted her mind to be 100% clear for this night. If her and Emma told their kids about their first date she assumed it was kept at least PG rated. Besides that, as a Queen, she is not the type of person to do anything sexual on the first date...even if it has been a really long time since she had been touched or caressed or desired or kissed...or...NO DAMNIT.

Emma had taken a drive around town with her headphones in to clear her head and to ease her nerves. You would think that she would be listening to something calming and slow and easy. BUT, this is Emma Swan, why in the hell would you think that? This woman does not do the expected. EVER.

 _"Welcome to a city that'll bring you to your knees_

 _It'll make you beg for more, until you can't even breathe_

 _Your blindfold is on tight, but you like what you see_

 _So follow me into the night, 'cause I got just what you need_

 _We're all rollin' down the boulevard, full of pimps and sharks_

 _It's a motherfuckin' riot, we've been dying to start_

 _You better grab a hold 'cause now you know your falling apart_

 _You thought these streets were paved in gold_

 _But their dirty and dark_

 _Been to hell_

 _I can show you the devil!_

 _Down you fell_

 _Can't hold yourself together!_

 _Soul to sell_

 _Down here you live forever!_

 _Welcome to a world where dreams become nightmares!_

 _Been to hell_

 _I can show you the devil!_

 _Down you fell_

 _Can't hold yourself together!_

 _Soul to sell_

 _Down here you live forever!_

 _Welcome to a world where dreams become nightmares!_

 _Nightmares!_

 _Welcome!"_ she sang.

She pulled up in the driveway that belonged to one Mayor Mills. She took a final breath and then jumped out of her car. Her palms were sweating and her head was still pounding to the beat of the song she had been listening to.

 _"Okay. Listen up. You have got this. You have been on dates before; just not with Regina Mills. You have been on dates with women before; just not with Regina Mills, You have been on dates with highly attractive women before; but not as beautiful as Regina Mills. You know I hate you sometimes, right? So, back to where I was."_ she coached herself mentally as she walked toward the front door. _"Dry your palms. Take a deep breath."_ She rang the doorbell. _"It's just Regina. My Mayor. My True Love. My Happily Ever After."_

The door opened.

 _"My Queen."_ Emma said out loud as she took in the brunette's appearance.

Regina wore a form fitting yet simple black dress. Her "boobage" was on display for Emma to see (more like stare at uncontrolablly). Her make up was perfect and her hair was flawless. She stood tall and she was radiant. Her smile at Emma's words was a cross between cocky yet modest. Normally that title made her feel powerful and feared but the way that it passed Emma's lips made her feel weak at the knees and oddly aroused.

 _"You get points for that title, Sheriff. Congratulations on making a fantastic first impression."_ Regina said jokingly.

 _"Regina...you look...amazing."_

 _"Thank you. Your daughter picked out this dress. She is with out a single doubt your child."_

About that same time, the girl in question stepped around the corner. She looked at Emma with eyes of warning, then to her brunette mother with sparkling eyes of hope, and then back to the blonde with pointed eyes.

 _"This is my mother. Mine. She is a Queen and she will be treated as nothing less. You will show her nothing but respect. You will honor her with your respect. You will be mindful of her boundaries. You will not give in to any temptations that she does not also share. You will ensure that she has a wonderful time. You will have her home at a reasonable hour. Do not hurt her. Do not make her cry. Do not make me come looking for you. I will find you. I will kill you. I will make you suffer."_ Remi warned the Sheriff.

 _"Right...um...yes?"_ Emma replied ina confused tone.

With that, the Mayor and the Sheriff made their way to the car. Regina was lost in the thought of just how sexy Emma looked in dark blue jeans, a white button down with a black dress vest over it, and thick eyeliner. She didn't notice until the door was being held open for her that the ugly yellow bug was no where in sight. Emma was holding the door of a brand new Jeep open for her Queen.

 _"Where is the bug?"_ Regina asked.

 _"It was time for an upgrade. I gave her up so that I could have a ride more fitting for such a beautiful passenger."_ Emma said and then winked.

As it was safe for the residents of town to cross the town line, the two decided to venture to Boston for their date. Granny's was a wonderful place but they wanted the kind of privacy that could not be obtained in that place. There were too many people that would want to talk to them and just as many that would want to stare at them due to the history of their relationship. If they were going to give this a chance, a real chance, then they needed this time away to talk and be themselves and really get to know each other. It was not difficult for them to agree on this.

They ventured towards the place that Emma had chosen but decided to surprise Regina. They pulled into the parking lot of a small resturant and garlic filled the Mayor's nostrils. Italian. She loved Italian food. She remembered saying that in front of Emma but not directly to her and it had been years ago when she had said it. She was actually impressed that the blonde had paid attention and remembered the information.

They dined on the amazing food and fell into a comfortable flow of the evening. Soft and romantic music hummed in the background of the resturant. The dim lighting just increased the mind set of a date. Conversation was general and informative.

 _"So, did you actually enjoy the work of a bail bondsman?"_ Regina asked.

 _"Bail bonds person, actually. I guess I did enjoy certain things about it. There were other parts that were very infuriating but you learn to look past them and get the job done. I was pretty good at what I did so finding work was fairly simple and cash was great. I guess it made me feel good to be able to find the people that didn't to be found. Well, the people that they wanted me to find. The people I looked for on my own never seemed to turn up. But, now I know why and I understand."_ Emma answered.

 _"Did you want to be a bail bonds person? I mean did you actually wake up one day and decide that was what you wanted to do with your life?"_

 _"No, actually, I wanted to be a musician. I wanted to learn as many songs as I could on the guitar and on the drums and I wanted to play to sold out stadiums and to hear the roar of the cheering. I wanted to write and sing songs that really touched people. I wanted to tell stories that they could relate to. I wanted to sing songs that made them stop and think. I wanted to change the world with my music. But, now things are very different."_

 _"What do you want now?"_

 _"I want to watch our son grow and marry and live to the potential that we know he has. I want him to be happy and safe and just as wonderful as he is now. I want to grow old with the woman that has driven me absolutly crazy for years. I want to spend my life falling further in love with you. I want to get to know my daughter. I want to see how much like me she really is. I want to see her first steps and hear her first word. I want to watch her grow up and become as beautiful as her mother and as stubborn as me. I want it all. I finally feel like I am getting my family and nothing will take it away from me."_

 _"Emma, I think that maybe you and Remi should spend some time together. She seems to be distancing herself from you and I believe that it has something to do with the future but maybe you can bond with her now and fix whatever is broken for her."_

 _"I think that maybe you are right. Madam Mayor, I would like to have tomorrow off so that I can spoil my daughter."_ Emma said with that smirk.

 _"Request approved."_

The rest of the dinner went just as smoothly. They talked and they ate and they did exactly what they intended to do...they got to know each other better and they began falling more so in love than they already were.


	10. Chapter 10

_This is not a long chapter and I truly apologize for that. The holiday has passed and it would appear that I am now going to be spending more time at my place of employment than at home so I will be able to write and publish at a more steady pace. As always, thank you for sticking with me throgh all of this and I assure you that there is much drama coming very soon._

 _ **CHAPTER 10: Soul Strings**_

 _ **PART ONE**_

 **REGINA'S HOUSE**

 **8:00AM**

Emma pulled up into the driveway of her love's house. For only a moment she lost herself in her mind. She pictured herself coming home from work after a hard day and walking up this very walkway to this very house to this very woman. She pictured being met by the smell of dinner being cooked and the sound of a little girl yelling and running. She pictured this as her future. She pictured this as the thing that she worked for and what she wanted. This is what she wants. This is what her future holds. Her mind began to focus on that little girl in her mind. That little girl is particially grown and in this house right now. This little girl is waiting on her right now. What were they going to do today? She didn't have a single clue. All Emma knew was that her sixteen year old daughter from the future was in there and she was going to be spending the entire day with her. Regina had told her Sheriff the ways that Remi reminded her of the blonde but was time to see for herself. So, with out further delay, Emma jumped out of her Jeep and made her way to the front door.

Emma knocked on the door and waited with her hands in her back pockets. She was surprised that her son answered the door as she was expecting to see Regina.

 _"Hey, kid. Where's your mom?" Emma asked._

 _"She said that you are a distraction and she has to get her paper work caught up."_ Henry answered with a smug grin.

 _"Distraction? I am a distraction? She is a distracation. With those skirts and those buttons and..."_ Emma stopped as she realized her son stood there with a green color to his face and her daughter stood at the bottom of the staircase with her hands in her back pockets.

 _"That's gross."_ Remi and Henry said at the same time.

 _"Yeah...oops...um...so...ready to go?"_ The Sheriff asked her daughter.

 _"Yeah. Where are we going?"_

 _"I thought we could go get some breakfast and then decide here to go from there."_

 _"Does that mean we are having pancakes?"_

 _"That is exactly what that means, kid."_

Emma and Remi left to head to Granny's Diner to have their pancake breakfast. Emma was on edge and lost and confused and curious. Remi was on edge and lost and on guard. Henry was confident and smirking and plotting. He immediately pulled out his cell phone from his front pocket and called his brunette mother.

 _"Good morning, my prince. Is all going according to plan?"_ Regina asked from her desk in her office.

 _"Operation Swan Secret is a go."_ he said and then ended the call with a smile as he watched his blonde mother and younger sister pull away.

 _ **Across Town**_

 _ **The Mayor's Office**_

Regina Mills placed her cell phone back on her desk. She wore that same smile that she would wear when things were going according to her dark and evil plan in the Enchanted Forrest. However, this was not the Enchanted Forrest and this plan was not evil nor dark. This plan, hatched by her son, was brilliant and amazing and so uplifting. She was going to get to the bottom of the secrets that her daughter kept about the future but more specifically about what happened between her and Emma. Regina had searched every corner of her brain trying to figure out just what Emma could have done to her child, to their daughter, that woud cause such a reaction just by seeing someone. She was floored and she was stumped. She could not come up with one single reason. There was not one thing she could think of. There was nothing that Emma was capable of that could lead to this kind of rejection. She had to know what happened and she knew that her Emma needed to know as well.

 _ **Across Town Again**_

 _ **Granny's Diner**_

Emma and Remi walked through the door, ringing the bell that hung above. Some the patrons paused to see who entered the building but went right back to their meal. Only Ruby and Granny continued to stare in the direction of the Sheriff and her companion. Both of the wolves could smell the familiar scent that was Emma Swan but this other girl...she smelled like Emma and like Regina with a little of something that they could not identify mixed in. This confused the wolves so they silently decided to investigate further.

From a distance, they studied the new girl. She had olive colored skin like Regina Mills. She had an athletic build like Emma Swan. She had dark brown hair like Regina Mills. She had green eyes like Emma Swan. She smelled like apples like Regina Mills. She smelled like leather like Emma Swan. She smelled like pine. Henry smelled like leather just like his mother and he smelled like a campfire like his father. A person inherits a touch of the scent that their biological parents carry which is why the boy smelled like Emma and Neal. This new girl smelled like Emma and Regina and that must mean...

Ruby walked up to the table where her best friend sat with the mystery girl.

 _"Hey, Rubes. We are gonna need two triple stacks with bacon and orange juice, please."_ Emma ordered and the waitress wrote it down on her pad with a wide but forced smile.

Emma was so stuck on the fake smile on her best friend's face that she failed to notice the gawking that her daughter was doing at the werewolf. Ruby, however, could see the younger girl practically undressing her with her dark green eyes, out of the corner of her eye.

" _Um...Em, would you care to introduce me to your...excited friend here?"_ Ruby asked with a huge grin.

This caught the blonde's attention and she looked over at her daughter.

 _"Oh, yeah. Remi, this is my best friend Ruby."_

 _"Hi."_ Remi said with a sheepish smile.

 _"Hi, doll. Emma, a word please?"_

Ruby and Emma walked away from the table so that the friends could have a word...more like so Ruby could full blown interigate her best friend and give her a good cussing for keeping secrets from her.

 _"Okay, first of all, who is that and why does she share your scent? Second of all, why is she trying to take my clothes off with her eyes? Third, why the hell does she also have Regina's scent? And fucking finally, who the hell is she really?"_

Emma opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the wolf.

 _"And don't you dare lie to me Emma Swan!"_

 _"Okay, okay. Damn. She smells like me and like Regina because it would appear that Regina is my true love and we are going to get married and we are going to have a child born out of True Love just like I was to Snow and David and she is from the future and there is a whole great deal of shit here that I do not understand and there is so much more that I do not even know and I am trying to get to know her because apparently she hates me and I don't know why but she is my kid so I need to fix it and why are you looking at me like that?"_

 _"Take a fucking breath, Savior. Damn. Okay so, if I got all this shit straight I got that you and Regina Mills are True Loves. It's not like the whole damn town didn't know that already. We have all known that you wanted each other for a long time now but we never said anything because you can't push these things. They have to happen on their own. You are going to marry Regina and I fully accept my responsibilities as maid of honor or best man or what ever you want me to be. The point is I will be standing right beside you telling your dumb ass to breathe the day you marry the Mayor. Third of all, when that girl is born I expect to be named as her Godmother because I have a lot to teach her about oogling girl goodies and doing it not so openly. Time travel is not supposed to be possible, Emma. If she is from the future then a very very powerful force brought her here. I am willing to bet that force was you and Regina. Either way, I am here to help in any way that I can."_

There was a brief pause.

 _"What the hell do you mean you have a lot to teach her about oogling girl goodies?"_

 _"Out of everything I just said to you, all you really got was that I was going to teach her how to check out women?"_

 _"That is my daughter, Ruby. You will NOT teach her that! I...just...ugh...bring us pancakes."_

With that, Emma turned and made her way back to the table where Remi sat playing with the salt and pepper shakers.

 _"And as for you, young lady, no more oogling girl goodies when they belong to your aunt!"_ Emma said as she took her seat.

The look on Remi's face was a mixture of horror and embarrassment.

The Sheriff and her daughter ate in a comfortable silence but there was a huge elephant in the room that needed to be addressed. Emma had no idea where to start. She never really knew what to do in awkward situatuions like this. It had been much easier with Henry. He found her and immediately connected with her and she with him. He had been much younger at the time so that added to the simplicity. With Remi, she was older and she never had any intention of ending up in Storybrooke and it appeared that she didn't want to get to know her blonde mother at all. Up to this point there were a few things that Emma knew for certain. She knew that Remington Quinn Swan-Mills was the product of True Love between herself and Regina. She knew that Remi was from the Enchanted Forrest and that she was from the future. She knew that she had a deeper and more emotional connection to Regina than she did with herself and that something happens to damage their relationship. Now was the time to get to the bottom of that...or maybe she should just do like she did with Regina and get to know her. She wanted to know about her daughter. She wanted to be loved by her daughter and not for the younger girl to feel threatened. She would never do anything to hurt Regina or her children. She would never put them in a position to grow up the way that she did so what in the hell is it that she does that could render this reaction from her teenage daughter?

Emma was pulled from her thoughts when her cell phone rang out with the typical ringtone of Thunderstruck by AC/DC.

At hearing the sound coming from the phone, Remi's eyes lit up. They glistened and began to shine. She ignored the conversation that Emma was having. The words did not matter to her in the slightest. She wanted to hear that again. She was not one hundred percent sure what it was but she wanted more of it and she wanted it soon.

 _"Sorry abot that. It was David at the station."_ Emma said and then finally looked up at her daughter. _"Hey, you okay, kid?"_

 _"What was that?"_

 _"What was what?"_ Emma asked with confusion all over her face.

 _"That sound that came from the phone. What was it and can you make it do it again?"_

Emma pulled her phone into her hand and then pushed the app that led to her music. She slid her finger up the screen an few times until she got to the song that was her ringtone. Green eyes met green eyes as the blonde pressed the play button on her phone screen.

Emma had heard and played this very song at least a hundred times. She knew every note, every rise, every fall of this song. It was one of her favorites of all time. She watched as goosebumps appeared on the younger girls arms and her eyes got three shades brighter. Emma could see it. From across the room, Ruby could see it. Ruby also played and she could sing. It was not unheard of for the two friends to get together and jam when they needed a release. There is a certain look that people get when they FEEL a song. And Remi was FEELING this song.

At some point during the song Ruby had walked over to the table where her best friend and her daughter sat. Dishes were forgotten. Drinks were forgotten. Other customers in the diner were forgotten. Ruby and Emma watched as Remi soaked up the sounds coming from the song playing through the cell phone. The younger girls eye lids were closed as the sounds washed over her. She was taking in every note. She was hooked. She didn't understand this feeling; this need for more.

 _"What is that?"_ she asked after the song ended.

 _"That, my dear girl, was the birth of a musician."_ Ruby answered.

Ruby and Emma looked at one another and then back to the younger girl

 _"Remi, would you like to take a walk with me? There is something that I would like to show you."_ Emma asked.

 __Emma threw some money down on the table and gave Ruby a look as they made their way to the door. The whole way to the park, Emma and Remi were silent. The silence was unsettling but Emma remained hopeful.

 _"Are there more like that?"_ Remi asked.

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"Are there more things in your phone that sound like that?"_

 _"Oh yeah. There are more in my phone, there are more in the world, there are more in my head. Music is what you were hearing and a way of light is what you were feeling. I said light not life. See, when I was your age I was not in a very good place and music was my light in the dark. It was my escape. It was where I ran when things got dark and I got lost. Music was my light. In some ways, music is still my light. When I have had a bad day I go home and I listen to music. When I am mad or upset or nervous I grab my headphones and turn the music up as loud as I can and go for a drive. Some people can hear the lyrics of a song and just feel what the person intended when they wrote the song. Some people can hear the guitar and it is like the strings of their soul have been strummed. From what I saw in the diner, you are just like me. That guitar strummed your soul strings, kid."_

 _"Soul strings...I guess I may understand that. You said that there is more like that in your head. What did you mean?"_

 _"I have written songs in the past and there are still more floating around up there in the nothing. I may get around to putting them on paper at some point but until then, up there is where they will stay."_

 _"The sounds that the phone was making; the music...could I hear more?"_

 _"You can. But first, I want to show you something."_

The two arrived at the loft and let themselves in. Snow White was at the school teaching her class while David was at the station. Remi followed her blonde mother up the stairs in the loft to her so called bedroom. Emma walked to the corner of the room and pulled a guitar off of it's stand and laid it out on the bed for Remi to see.

 _"This is a guitar and these"_ she strummed _"are the strings. When you pluck the strings they vibrate and when holding them down on the other end, it makes music. The strings on this guitar are just like the strings inside you. You can play angry music or music that touches your heart. This is why there are certain songs or certain pieces that can reach your soul. You have strings inside you that matches these. What happened today...that feeling that you felt...that was your soul strings being strummed for the first time. That, Remi Quinn, is the soul of a guitarist. Ruby has felt it. I have felt it. And now, you have felt it."_

 _"Can you make music with this?"_ Remi asked in a near whisper.

 _"Yes, I can. Would you like me to show you?"_

 _"Yes, please."_

Emma grabbed up her guitar and took a deep breath. She strummed the strings and then began playing a song that she had learned at a very young child. She played Johnny B Goode and Thunderstruck and Crazy Train and then ended with Cliffs of Dover. By the time she finished playing she could tell that music and soul strings would be what connected her daughter to her. This was it. This would be their bond. And to be perfectly honest, she was more than ready to connect with her little yet bigger girl.


	11. Chapter 11

_HELLO THERE BEAUTIFUL READERS! I am very happy to present to you Soul Strings Part Two! I don't know if you can tell or not but music is a very important thing to me and I am trying to portray that in this story. Granted music is not the sole point but it is a doorway. There are so many stones left unturn at this point but I assure you that they will be turned and flipped and rolled and so on and so that said, I have a question for you...Have you figured it out yet? Do you know why Remi is so mad and protective of herself when it comes to Emma? No? Yes? Well guess what, the answer is on it's way. Either this chapter or the next will reveal that history and I really hope you don't hate me for it._

 _ **Chapter 11:**_

 _ **Soul Strings**_

 _ **Part Two**_

 _ **The Loft**_

Emma and Remi had spent most of the day in her make shift bedroom that she had at her parent's place. Most of her stuff stayed there; though most of her stuff would fit in the front seat of her old bug so that really isn't saying much. The thing that she valued the most in her life aside from her son and Regina and now Remi, was her guitar. It was old and worn and slightly ragged in places but, to her, it might have well been made of pure Gold. This was the one thing that she held on to through out her life in foster care. This was the one thing that she drug with her no matter where she went. This was the one thing that felt like normal to her. It was her constant. It was her safety net.

Emma helped Remi place her fingers on the strings correctly and then taught her the first few notes. When she learned the first few, they would move on to the next few and then combine them. This was how Emma learned so that is how she taught. At around three thirty, Ruby came through the door to the loft followed by Snow White. They crept up the stairs and watched as the Savior seemed to glow with pride as her daughter played every note. And why wouldn't she be proud? She was sharing something with her daughter. She was sharing something that she loved and was passionate about. As it turns out, Remi is also passionate about it. They were connecting and it was making Emma happier than she had been in a very long time. Connecting with Henry was the last time she could remember feeling that way and that had been years ago.

Emma taught and Remi learned. Ruby and Snow watched as the blonde and her daughter bonded. It was only when there was a chirp from Ruby's phone that the two women moved away from the staircase.

 _"So, you have been in the Enchated Forrest all of your life...what's it like?"_ Emma asked.

 _"It's just like life I guess. There are a lot of trees and horses and castles. There are people that work in the castles and people who live in the castles. Mulan and Aurora are there. Mulan taught me how to fight in battle. She taught me the ways of the warrior. Henry helped out a lot. He was taught by grandpa and taught me while Mulan watched. Mom taught me how to ride a horse. She got me my own when I turned five. His name is Rigaletto. He has been to battle with me and he has been a great friend all of my life. Grandma taught me how to use a bow and how to navigate the forrest. What to eat and what not to eat among the wild. I guess it's a lot different from life here though."_ Remi answered.

 _"It's funny...you mentioned Snow and David, Regina and Henry, hell, even Mulan...but what did I teach you kid?"_ Emma asked with pain in her heart.

 _"You taught me..."_ the words died in Remi's throat. _"I..um...I'm getting a little hungry. Could we go back to mom's and eat soon?"_

 _"Yeah, kid. We can go now. Bring that if you want."_ Emma answered pointing at the guitar.

 _ **Later that night**_

 _ **Regina's Bedroom**_

 _"I have no idea what I am doing wrong. I don't know what it is that I do to her in the future. I have no clue how I hurt my daughter. I am going to go insane, Regina. I am not trying to sound like a spoiled brat but why is it she can connect with you and not with me? She is so protective of you and she has this maternal bond with you. I want that with her."_ Emma ranted as she paced the bedroom floor.

 _"Emma, honey, sit down. You are making things worse by pacing."_ Regina tried to convince the Sheriff but failed.

 _"I can't sit down, Regina. My daughter is asleep right down the hall and it would appear that even though I spent all afternoon trying, I cannot form any kind of bond with her. I want her to love me, Gina. I want her to look at me the way she looks at you. I want to be her mother, too."_

 _"Emma, you are her mother. I don't know which one of us carried her but you are her mother. I don't know what happens to make her feel this way but you are her mother. I can see it in her eyes. She loves you, darling. She wants to connect with you but something is holding her back. Something in her mind is stopping her and holding her back. I want to know what that is just as badly as you do. I want to fix this. I want to fix whatever it is that goes bad between you and our daughter. I promise you that I will find out and I will do everything within my power to heal this."_

 _"It is so crazy to think that you and I spent all of that time fighting and arguing and lashing out at each other when we are clearly good for each other..."_ Emma said as she looked over at Regina. _"I have so many demons, Regina. There is so much darkness in my mind and in my past. It's not darkness like you know but it is darkness all the same. One day I promise I will tell you but I just can't yet. Ruby is my best friend and even she doesn't know about everything. I have never told anyone and it terrifies me to reveal my inner turmoil. I trust you completely. Do not misunderstand that at all. It is just going to take some time to say it out loud. I can see it in Remi, too. She has some demons that she does not know how to face so she is doing what I have been doing my whole life...she is burying them. She is bottling those emotions and that is not healthy for anybody especially a sixteen year old girl."_

 _"Miss Swan, I need to ask you a question that you may not be able to answer but I have to ask you anyway."_ Regina said softly. _"That first day when you took a shower here, I brought your clothes up here while you were in the shower. My intention was to lay them on the bed and go back downstairs to wait for you but the bathroom door was cracked. My curiousity got the better of me. I have wanted to see you in that manner for so very long. I am so sorry that I intruded on your privacy in such a way. But, when I looked in on you, I saw something that I cannot seem to erase from my mind."_

 _"You saw my...back..."_ Emma whispered.

Regina nodded her head. _"Emma, I am so sorry. I was curious...how you came about getting those...scars."_

Emma looked down at the floor for the longest time while Regina studied her facial features. It was obvious that she was lost in the memories in her mind. She would flinch occasionally and her brow creased together. Tears started to form in her green eyes but she swallowed them back down.

 _"This world is full of Villians, Regina. They don't live in Storybrooke and you don't read about them in fairytales. They are the most evil of all beings. They are humans and they are vicious. Foster care is a hell of a thing to grow up in. You have read my file. You know what the people said about me. Do you think that anyone ever asked me why I acted out the way I did? Do you think that anyone ever asked me how I liked it in this home or that home? Do you think that anyone ever asked me if I was okay? They all just assumed that I was a bad seed or a troubled teenager. A lot of the time I acted out to get away from where I was. The system is fucked up for a lot of kids and it seemed like that's all that it ever was for me."_ She wiped the tears from her face and finally green met brown. _"Abuse is a huge issue in the system. Physical, mental, emotional, sexual...I have..."_

The conversation was interrupted when blood curling screams echoed down the hallway from Remi's room. Emma ran out into the hall and was at the door before Regina even managed to get out of the bedroom. When they entered, they looked around for the danger that threatened their child but there was none to be found. The pillow that was once on the bed was across the room in the floor. The blanket was pushed around the younger brunettes feet. Sweat covered her clothing and matted her hair to her forehead. She was thrashing around and yelling and screaming. It was obvious the girl was having a nightmare but the expression on her face said that she was not afraid, but in pain.

 _"Remi...honey. Wake up. It's jsut a dream, kid."_ Emma tried to soothe the younger girl.

The younger brunette shot straight up in the bed with her eyes wide open. She had not yet realized where she was or what time she was in.

She threw her arms around Emma in the tighest hug that the blonde had ever felt. _"Momma, please don't go. I can't lose you again. Please don't leave me. I need you. Mom needs you. We need you. Please don't go."_

Emma looked over at Regina who's hand was over her mouth and tears flooded her cheeks.

 _"Remi, honey, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."_

 _"You...you left us."_

 _"Where did I go, Remi?"_

 _"You...died."_


	12. Chapter 12

Hello there to everyone that has been reading this story, following this story, and sitting on the edge of their seats patiently awaiting me to get my shit back together and to not leave you hanging. I have found myself in a good way and I have started writing again. However, I hope that you will take the time to go back and start this story over as I have been editing and touching up the first 11 chapters. I didn't really like where this story had been going and I found it to be too predictable therefore, I am making the changes. I have already edited chapter 1 and I will be working on Chapter 2 tonight, 7/29/19. I plan to make these changes and edits as fast as possible and I feel good about this story. I got a Beta Reader now (yay me). So, if you are still out there and I haven't lost you while I was MIA, I hope that you enjoy these new twist of events and the new way that this story goes. Thank you all,

JaydenMatthews


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